Air conditioner

ABSTRACT

An air conditioner having heat transfer means in an upper portion of its housing, blower means in a lower portion of the housing for sucking air from a room into the lower housing portion, and adjustable air guide means cooperating with said blower means for passing air sucked in by the blower means over the heat transfer means in the upper housing portion or through a duct communicating with the atmosphere outside the room, respectively to pass fresh air from the outside over the heat transfer means into the room.

ilnited States Patent [191 Menne et a1.

[451 Aug. 27, 1974 1 AlR QONDITHONIER [75] Inventors: Heinz Menne,Schloss Neuhaus;

Wilhelm Sehirp, Bergneustadt; Otto Ecithardlt, Bielefeld, all of Germany[73] Assignee: Benteler-Werlte Alttiengesellsehaft,

Bielefeld, Germany [22] Filed: Sept. 22, 1972 121] App]. 19052913116[30] 1F oreign Application Priority Data Sept. 25, 1971 Germany 2148047[52] US. Cl 165/122, 98/43, 98/38 [51] int. C1. F2411 9/08 [58] Field 01Search 165/122, 49; 98/38, 43 R [56] References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS 3,363,531 1/1968 Kohlmeyer et a1. 98/38 Primary Examiner-CharlesSukalo Attorney, Agent, or FirmMichael S. Striker 5 7] ABSTRACT 14Claims, 3 Drawing Figures AIR CONDITIONER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to an air conditioner which comprises ahousing adapted to be placed in a room and having an upper portioncommunicating with the room and a lower portion. Heat transfer meanscomprising tubes through which hot or cold water may be passed arearranged in the upper portion of the housing and this upper portioncommunicates preferably through louver-type slots with the room in whichthe air conditioner is located, whereas the lower portion of the housingencloses a blower.

Air conditioners of this type are known in the art. An essentialdisadvantage of such air conditioners resides in the fact that the samecan be used only to pass the air from the room through the airconditioner to heat, respectively cool the air. This movement of the airis caused either only by convection action especially if hot water ispassed through the tubes or by an additional blower. In order toaccomplish a venting of the room separate vent openings preferably inthe region of the windows of the room are for this case usuallyprovided, which operate independent of the air conditioner or separateventilators which work also independent of the air conditioner. Theseknown air conditioners themselves are however only adapted to heat orcool the air in the room and fresh air may be passed into the room onlyby the additional above-mentioned devices or through an opening in thewindows.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention toprovide an air conditioner which overcomes the disadvantages of theabove-described air conditioners known in the art.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide an airconditioner which is not only adapted to cool or heat the air in a roombut also to supply the room with fresh air. 7

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an airconditioner of the last-mentioned type which is simple in constructionso that it may be produced at a reasonable cost.

With these and other objects in view the air conditioner according tothe present invention mainly comprises a housing adapted to be placed ina room and having an upper portion communicating with the room and alower portion. Heat transfer means are located in the upper housingportion and blower means in the lower housing portion. The blower meanshaving an inlet end communicating with the room and an outlet end. Afirst air guide duct communicates with the outlet end of the blowermeans and this first air guide duct has a discharge end communicatingwith the upper housing portion whereas a second air guide duct has anouter end communicating with the atmosphere outside the room and aninner end adjacent to the discharge end of the first duct. The airconditioner further comprises adjustable means movable between a firstposition connecting the discharge end of the first air guide duct withthe inner end of the second air guide duct, a second position connectingthe discharge end with the upper housing portion and at least one thirdposition connecting the discharge end with the inner end of the secondduct and the upper housing portion. The first and second air guide ductspreferably include an angle with each other, whereas the adjustablemeans preferably comprise two flaps including a corresponding angle witheach other and being turnable between the aforementioned position abouta fixed axis. The two flaps preferably include a fixed obtuse angle witheach other and by turning the two flaps about the aforementioned axis itis possible to pass air sucked in by the blower means into the lowerhousing portion through the first air guide duct into the upper housingportion so that this air will pass over the heat. transfer means andthrough slots in the upper housing portion into the room or to pass theair sucked by the blower means into the lower housing portion throughthe second air guide duct to the atmosphere outside the room so as tovent the room, respectively to pass fresh air from the outside of theroom over the heat transfer means in the upper housing portion into theroom.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for theinvention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. Theinvention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method ofoperation,

together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be bestunderstood from the following description of specific embodiments whenread in connection with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a partial vertical crosssection throughan air conditioner according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial cross section showing the means for turning theflaps about the axis; and

FIG. 3 is a cross section similar to FIG. 2 and showing a modifiedarrangement for turning the flaps about the axis.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The air conditioner 1 shown inpartial cross section in FIG. 1 comprises a housing 10, the right orfront wall of which is provided with a plurality of preferablylouver-like slots 11 through which the upper portion 12 of the housing10 communicates with the room in which the air conditioner is located.Heat transfer means comprisingtubes 2, only one of which is indicated indash-dot lines, are located in the upper portion of the housing and acold or hot fluid medium is passed in a known manner, not forming partof the present invention, through the tubes 2. Air is passed in a manneras will be described later on about the tubes so that the air is cooledor heated and passes through the slots 11 into the room to be airconditioned. The box-like housing 1 may be completely closed, or it maybe open at the left or rear side and closed at this side by an outerwall 3 of the room to which the housing 10 may be connected in anyconvenient manner.

Blower means 4 are located in the lower portion of the housing 10 andthis blower means extends transversely over the whole width of thehousing and is driven by a motor not shown in the drawing. If the airconditioner comprises a plurality of units which may be arranged in anydesired manner with respect to each other, then each unit may have itsown blower means.

The blower means 4 comprises a casing 42' surrounding the rotatable part4 of the blower means and having an inlet end 40 preferably flush withthe front wall of the housing and closed by a grill or filter 41. Theoutlet end of the casing 42 is integrally connected to a first air guideduct 42 which has a discharge end communicating with the upper housingportion. The upper or discharge end of the first air guide duct 41 isarranged in the region of the inner end of a second air guide duct 5,the outer end of which passes through an opening in the wall 3 so as tocommunicate with the atmosphere outside the room in which the airconditioner 1 is located. A grill or filter similar to that shown in 41is located at the outer end of the second air guide duct 5. A horizontalauxiliary wall 13 is arranged upwardly spaced from the second air guideduct and projects from the wall 3 to which it is connected in anyconvenient manner into the upper portion 12 of the housing. Adjustablemeans comprising a pair of flaps 7 and 17, preferably of equal size, andincluding a preferably obtuse angle with each other are arrangedturnable about a common axis 6 positioned in such a manner that duringturning of the flaps about the aforementioned axis the free end edges ofthe flaps will move along a circle 27, indicated in dash-dotted lines,along which corresponding end edges a, b, c and d of the wall 13 andcorresponding walls of thefirst and second air guide duct are located.

The ducts 5 and 42 are preferably of rectangular cross section and theobtuse angle between the two flaps 7 and 17 as well as the length ofthese flaps from the axis 6 are chosen in such a manner that thedistance between the free end edges of the two flaps is equal to thedistance of the free end edge of the auxiliary wall 13 from the free endof the left wall of the first air guide duct 42, respectively equal tothe distance between the free end edge of the upper wall of the secondduct 5 from the free end edge of the right or front wall of the firstair guide duct 42.

The flaps 7 and 17 are fixedly connected to the shaft 6 for turning withthe same about the shaft axis between at least three positions. In afirst position, shown in full lines in FIG. 1, the flap 7 engages withits free end edge the free end edge of the front wall or right wall ofthe first air guide duct 42 along a line indicated in projection at d,where as the free end edge of the flap 7 engages the upper wall of thesecond air guide duct 5 along a line indicated at b so that in thisposition air is sucked by the blower 4 from the room in which the airconditioner is located in the direction indicated by the arrows Athrough the grill 42 and passed through the second air guide duct 5through the outer end of the latter to the atmosphere outside the roomas indicated by the arrows A whereby air from the room is vented to theoutside.

By turning the flaps in direction as indicated by the arrow B about theaxis of the shaft 6, the flaps will be moved to a second positionindicated in dash-dot lines in FIG. 1 in which the free end edge of theflap 7 engages the inner end edge of the wall 13, whereas the free endedge of the flap 17 engages the free end edge of the left or rear wallof the first air guide duct 42, whereby the second air guide duct 5 isclosed so that air sucked in by the blower means 4 in the direction ofthe arrow C is passed in the direction of the arrows C into the upperpart 12 of the air conditioner.

If the flaps 7 and 17 are turned further in the direction of the arrow Buntil the flap 7 reaches the position originally occupied by the flap 17in the mentioned first position of the flaps, then the inner end of thesecond air guide duct 5 communicates with the discharge end of the firstair guide duct 42 as well as with the upper portion 12 of the airconditioner. In this position, the blower means 4, when actuated, willsuck air from the room in the direction as indicated by the arrows D andthis air stream, indicated in dash-dot lines, will entrain air from theoutside through the second air guide duct 5 in the direction of thearrows B into the upper part 12 of the housing 10 of the air conditionerso that air from the room together with outside air will be passed overthe heat transfer means 2.

The flaps may be held in any of the aforementioned positions by snapaction arresting means of known construction as indicated for one of thepositions at 37. It is to be understood that such arresting means are tobe provided for each of the positions of the flaps.

If the flaps have to be operated from one of the side walls of thehousing 10, the shaft 6 projects at least with one end beyond a bearingformed in the corresponding sidewall and a hand wheel 16 is fixedlyconnected to the projecting end of the shaft 6 for turning the latterabout its axis. A pointer 18 may be connectingto the hand wheel or theshaft end and appropriate markings 19 may be provided on the sidewallfor indicating the position of the shaft and the flaps connectedthereto.

On the other hand, it is also possible to operate the flaps from thefront wall of the housing 10 and in this case a worm wheel 9 is fixed tothe shaft 6, whereas a worm 8 meshing with the worm wheel 9 is fixed toa shaft extending at right angles to the shaft 6 to the outer end ofwhich a hand wheel 16 is connected. In this case the snap actionarresting means 37 shown in FIG. 1 will be omitted and it is evidentthat the flaps may be held not only in the aforementioned threepositions but in any intermediate positions therebetween. The handwheel16 is preferably also in this case provided with a pointer 18 and thefront wall of the housing is preferably provided with markings l9cooperating with the pointer on the hand wheel indicating the positionsof the flaps.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofthe present invention that others can by applying current knowledgereadily adapt it for various applications without omitting featuresthat, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essentialcharacteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this inventionand, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to becomprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of thefollowing claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent isset forth in the appended:

1. An air conditioner comprising, in combination, a housing adapted tobe placed in a room to be air conditioned and having an upper portioncommunicating with the room and a lower portion; heat transfer means insaid upper housing portion; blower means in said lower housing portionand having an inlet end communicating with the room and an outlet end; afirst air guide duct communicating with said outlet end of said blowermeans and having a discharge end communicating with said upper housingportion; a second air guide duct having an outer end communicating withthe atmosphere outside the room and having an inner end adjacent saiddischarge end of said first guide duct; and adjustable means movablebetween a first position connecting said discharge end from said firstair guide duct with said inner end of said second air guide duct so thatair from the room is blown to the outer atmosphere, a second positionconnecting said discharge end with said upper housing portion whileclosing said inner end of said second duct so that air from the room isblown over said heat transfer means, and at least one third positionconnecting said discharge end with said inner end of said second ductand said upper housing portion so that air from the room together withair from the outside atmosphere will be blown over said heat transfermeans.

2. An air conditioner as defined in claim ll, wherein said first andsaid second air guide ducts include an angle with each other and whereinsaid adjustable means comprises two flaps including a correspondingangle with each other and being turnable between said positions about afixed axis.

3. An air conditioner as defined in claim 2, wherein said first and saidsecond air guide ducts are of rectangular cross section and wherein saidflaps have free end edges respectively engaging in said positionscorresponding end edges of said ducts.

4. An air conditioner as defined in claim 3 and including anauxiliary-wall extending above said second air guide duct in saidhousing, said auxiliary wall having a free end edge engaged by the endedge of one of said flaps in said second position of said adjustablemeans.

5. An air conditioner as defined in claim 4, wherein said end edges ofsaid flaps are arranged on a circle concentric with said axis andwherein in each of said positions at least one of said flaps engages acorresponding end edge apertaining to said ducts or said auxiliary wall.

6. An air conditioner as defined in claim 2, wherein said flaps includean obtuse angle with each other and are fixed to a shaft extending alongsaid axis.

7. An air conditioner as defined in claim 6, wherein said flaps haveequal dimensions.

8. An air conditioner as defined in claim 5, wherein said flaps haveequal dimensions, include an obtuse angle with each other and are fixedto a shaft extending along said axis, wherein said first duct has afront wall and a rear wall and said second duct has an upper wall, andwherein said end edges of said flaps are spaced from each other adistance corresponding to the distance of the end edge of said frontwall from the end edge of said upper wall, and said auxiliary wallhaving an end edge spaced from that of said rear wall corresponding tosaid distance.

9. An air conditioner as defined in claim 8, wherein said auxiliary wallis arranged horizontally and upwardly spaced from said upper wall ofsaid second duct.

10. An air conditioner as defined in claim 1, and including filter meansat said inlet end of said blower means and said outer end of said secondair guide duct.

111. An air conditioner as defined in claim 10, said blower meansincluding a casing and said first air guide duct communicating with andbeing fixed to said casmg.

12. An air conditioner as defined in claim 2, and including snap actionarresting means for arresting said flaps in the positions thereo 13. Anair conditioner as defined in claim 2, wherein said flaps are fixedlyconnected to a shaft extending along said axis and including a handwheel fixed to said shaft for turning the latter about said axis andposition indicating means for said hand wheel.

14. An air conditioner as defined in claim 2, wherein said flaps arefixedly connected to a shaft extending along said axis and including aworm wheel fixed to said shaft, a worm meshing with said. worm wheel anda hand wheel cooperating with said worm for turning the latter about itsaxis.

1. An air conditioner comprising, in combination, a housing adapted tobe placed in a room to be air conditioned and having an upper portioncommunicating with the room and a lower portion; heat transfer means insaid upper housing portion; blower means in said lower housing portionand having an inlet end communicating with the room and an outlet end; afirst air guide duct communicating with said outlet end of said blowermeans and having a discharge end communicating with said upper housingportion; a second air guide duct having an outer end communicating withthe atmosphere outside the room and having an inner end adjacent saiddischarge end of said first guide duct; and adjustable means movablebetween a first position connecting said discharge end from said firstair guide duct with said inner end of said second air guide duct so thatair from the room is blown to the outer atmosphere, a second positionconnecting said discharge end with said upper housing portion whileclosing said inner end of said second duct so that air from the room isblown over said heat transfer means, and at least one third positionconnecting said discharge end with said inner end of said second ductand said upper housing portion so that air from the room together withair from the outside atmosphere will be blown over said heat transfermeans.
 2. An air conditioner as defined in claim 1, wherein said firstand said second air guide ducts include an angle with each other andwherein said adjustable means comprises two flaps including acorresponding angle with each other and being turnable between saidpositions about a fixed axis.
 3. An air conditioner as defined in claim2, wherein said first and said second air guide ducts are of rectangularcross section and wherein said flaps have free end edges respectivelyengaging in said positions corresponding end edges of said ducts.
 4. Anair conditioner as defined in claim 3 and including an auxiliary wallextending above said second air guide duct in said housing, saidauxiliary wall having a free end edge engaged by the end edge of one ofsaid flaps in said second position of said adjustable means.
 5. An airconditioner as defined in claim 4, wherein said end edges of said flapsare arranged on a circle concentric with said axis and wherein in eachof said positions at least one of said flaps engages a corresponding endedge apertaining to said ducts or said auxiliary wall.
 6. An airconditioner as defined in claim 2, wherein said flaps include an obtuseangle with each other and are fixed to a shaft extending along saidaxis.
 7. An air conditioner as defined in claim 6, wherein said flapshave equal dimensions.
 8. An air conditioner as defined in claim 5,wherein said flaps have equal dimensions, include an obtuse angle witheach other and are fixed to a shaft extending along said axis, whereinsaid first duct has a front wall and a rear wall and said second ducthas an upper wall, and wherein said end edges of said flaps are spacedfrom each other a distance corresponding to the distance of the end edgeof said front wall from the end edge of said upper wall, and saidauxiliary wall having an end edge spaced from that of said rear wallcorresponding to said distance.
 9. An air conditioner as defined inclaim 8, wherein said auxiliary wall is arranged horizontally andupwardly spaced from said upper wall of said second duct.
 10. An airconditioner as defined in claim 1, and including filter means at saidinlet end of said blower means and said outer end of said second airguide duct.
 11. An air conditioner as defined in claim 10, said blowermeans including a casing and said first air guide duct communicatingwith and being fixed to said casing.
 12. An air conditioner as definedin claim 2, and including snap action arresting means for arresting saidflaps in the positions thereof.
 13. An air conditioner as defined inclaim 2, wherein said flaps are fixedly connected to a shaft extendingalong said axis and including a hand wheel fixed to said shaft forturning the latter about said axis and position indicating means forsaid hand wheel.
 14. An air conditioner as defined in claim 2, whereinsaid flaps are fixedly connected to a shaft extending along said axisand including a worm wheel fixed to said shaft, a worm meshing with saidworm wheel and a hand wheel cooperating with said worm for turning thelatter about its axis.